Death Shot a Canon into Time's Chipped Heart
by Adria626
Summary: Storybrooke has been villain free for four years and Henry is starting to wonder why. Rumple and Belle, on the other hand, are starting to wonder why their perfect world has started to crack at the seams. A late-night visit with an old 'friend' will throw a canon into their monster-free world and catapult them into several realities.
1. Chapter 1

**Death Shot a Canon into Time's Chipped Heart**

 **Rating:** T

 **Summary:** Storybrooke has been villain free for four years and Henry is starting to wonder why. Rumple and Belle, on the other hand, are starting to wonder why their perfect world has started to crack at the seams. A late-night visit with an old 'friend' will throw a canon into their monster-free world and catapult them into several realities.

This story is basically a take on what it would be like if the characters in the Once Upon a Time universe/show had made different decisions, and how what they did or didn't do would have affected the lives of others. As such, this is completely 100% an AU story.

Originally written for Rumbelle Revelry for still-searching 47. The prompt words were not of this world, flickering, and tomb. I chose not of this world and flickering.

 **Warnings:** There is mention of alcohol use, people meeting untimely ends, and angst galore.

Part One:

 **An Eerily Quiet Town in Maine**

 _October 18, 2020 Storybrooke, Maine_

 _Rumpelstiltskin and Belle's house 5:52 PM_

Henry looked out at the red tinged early sunset from the table he shared with his grandpa Rumple's wife Belle as he thought how life in Storybrooke had grown lax, boring, and altogether too quiet over the last four years.

Whilst most of the residents of Storybrooke, home of fairytale creatures and princesses alike, enjoyed the quiet, Henry secretly longed for the more interesting days, or at least a random duel in the middle of Main Street.

There had been no Monster, Big Bad, Bad Guy, Villain, or otherwise Foul Being and or Evil Person to wreak havoc in the small-no-longer-cursed-town.

Ah...life had been so simple. So simple, in fact, people finally felt safe enough to start pairing off with their True Loves and having children.

As such, The-Nowhere-Near-As-Dark-Dark-One-Rumpelstiltskin and his beautiful, brave wife Belle had settled easily into domesticity.

They were married four years ago by The Former Cricket Archie in a quiet ceremony surrounded by his son, grandson and Belle's father.

There was much to celebrate, for you see after Rumple spent an unknown amount of time sharing his body with his son and being a prisoner of the green witch Zelena, in a last minute uncharacteristic turn of events Zelena had seen reason and used her magic to separate Rumple from his son without killing either of them.

Regina had, without hesitation or a second thought, sent her sister back to Oz. To absolutely no one's shock, six months later, her sister acted up in her usual wicked fashion. She was not so sadly easily defeated by Dorothy, with help from Ruby and Mulan.

Today, four years later, Rumple, his son, his daughter-in-law Emma, and his two daughters, Clara and Verity were at the park while Belle and his grandson Henry were at their salmon house surrounded by several stacks of books and crumpled papers trying to figure out what to write for NaNoWriMo.

"I'm not so sure we should write about fairytales when our whole entire lives have been actual fairytales."

Belle smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I agree. Fairytales are so five years ago. 'Sides there's more than enough fairytale twists and AU's out there. The world doesn't need more."

Henry had agreed to collaborate with Belle seeing as she had read nearly all the books in the library and he'd had an epic case of writer's block ever since the Author had given him his pen to write more stories nearly four and a half years ago.

It didn't help matters that all he really wanted to do was make out with his girlfriend Grace, spend time with his dad and grandfathers, and prepare himself for the delayed jealously of having a sister in three months to set in.

Sure, he'd been thrilled when his parents fell in love again. He was even more elated when their kiss of true love was witnessed by nearly half of the town.

Henry's father had kissed Emma while he was giving her CPR after a black shadow had knocked her unconscious.

His magical kiss and their subsequent 'I love yous' caused the 'pirate' to go back to Neverland. Or was it the Enchanted Forest? It didn't matter to Henry, Killian Jones was never heard from again, and his absence made most of Storybrooke happy.

Rumplestiltskin had been so ecstatic he had thrown a huge party in Town Hall. A celebration which was so joyous, people became engaged and nine-ish months later several babies were born.

That very night marked the end of all malevolent drama.

"Henry are you okay?" Belle's soft accented voice brought him back to reality.

Henry nearly jumped out of his chair as a cold blast of air came out of nowhere, causing goosebumps to run up his arms. "Oh, yeah! Sorry, I was just thinking how quiet things have been. Thanks for helping me out with my writer's block. I'm living proof having a magic pen in your possession doesn't mean you can write the next bestseller."

Belle laughed, as she patted Henry on the shoulder. "I'm sure writer's block happens to everyone."

"Not Stephen King." Henry deadpanned, with a serious look on his face.

"Oh, yes, even Stephen King. He'll just never publicly admit it."

Henry's reply was drowned out with the sound of his parents, grandpa, and little aunts stomping through the door.

Rumple's voice echoed from the front door straight to the parlor. "Henry! Belle! We brought dinner. Hamburgers, onion rings, fries, milk shakes, and iced tea for everyone."

Rumpelstiltskin kissed his wife's cheek as he handed her their squirming three and a half old little daughter Verity so he could put the several bags of dinner on the nearest clear surface.

"Did you have fun at the park Verity? Where's Clara?"

As soon as she asked where Verity's twin was, Neal, who now insisted on going by Baelfire, flew through the parlor with a screeching/giggling Clara on his back.

"I hope you'll have enough energy to keep up with this one in a few years." Emma said, patting her stomach as she sat down as gracefully as possible in the nearest recliner.

"Hey Henry, did you and Belle figure out what you're going to write?"

"Nah, but I did look at the list of names you gave me for my sister. I crossed of Ellie, Elia, Ellery, Emelia, Emmy, Remy, and Gemma. Way too close to your name mom. To think, we're being overrun with girls. It's a good thing Grandma Snow and Grandpa David had Leo and Ruby and Archie had Micah or else I would be totally outnumbered."

Emma sighed, nodding her head as she considered how right he was about many the names Bae and she had picked for their daughter. "Did you like any of the names?"

"Yeah. Krista, Scarlett or Madeline. I think those are the coolest names."

Emma looked to Baelfire, as they both shared a knowing look. "Good choices. We were going to wait to tell everyone when she was born, but Henry's decided it. Her name's going to be Madeline Scarlett Cassidy. Maddie for short."

Henry hadn't been so happy and excited since Grace had told him she loved him a month ago.

He would be going to Boston college in a year, and Grace would be going with him. In all his seventeen years, he'd never been more content.

But, something nagged at him, a tickling sensation in the back of his head, telling him something wasn't quite right. A part of him felt uneasy with the peace in the town he'd grown up in. Maybe, he thought, he'd talk to his Grandpa Rumple after dinner…

Dinner came and went.

Baelfire and Emma went home, as they both needed to go to work in the morning, even though it was a Saturday. They left Henry there, knowing Henry would be taken home by Rumple or Belle later. Verity and Clara had gone to bed, and Henry and Belle went back to hovering over their piles of books.

Rumpelstiltskin sat on the couch reading a _The Dirty Streets of Heaven_ , again, as he sipped a small glass of expensive scotch. The Bobby Dollar series was one of his favorite books to read, he'd even let Henry borrow them. Though he did so secret, for they were not books for children or young adults, but Henry seemed mature enough to Rumple. He knew his grandson could handle the extreme adult themes in the trilogy, so long as he didn't tell anyone, especially Belle about reading them, whom he knew would disapprove.

Belle chimed in, breaking another strange silence from her 'grandson'. "Maybe we could ask Rumple for any ideas. I'm sure he has more stories to tell than anyone in town."

Rumple appeared in front of them in a haze of red smoke.

His demeanor feigned irritation but his twinkling eyes held within them a gold tinted playfulness. "I really wish you would give me fair warning if you're going to say my name. I could have been in the shower." Rumple smirked at his wife, enjoying her giggles over their favorite inside joke.

Rumple grabbed a chair, sitting close intimately close to his wife, Henry suddenly felt like an intruder. Years of living with an emotionally-stilted-not-knowing-how-to-show-affection-not-surprisingly-heartless-Regina had made Henry cautious of what to do with himself when people hugged him, or in the presence people doling out kisses, hugs, and hand holding in front of him.

One would think spending time with Prince Charming and Snow White would be nauseating and uncomfortable enough, but the personifications of Beauty and the Beast put them to shame by a mile. Because of this, it'd taken him years to ask Grace out, and months to simply hold her hand.

His grandfather gave him an understanding look. "You're a million miles away tonight, aren't you Henry?"

"Yeah. I guess I am. Sorry. I've been distracted all day. I've been wondering, ohm…do either of you think it's strange things have been so drama free over the past four years? Don't get me wrong, who wouldn't want peace after the constant onslaught of every villain imaginable trying to take over the town or destroy as many people as possible?"

Henry paused to take a breath. "We haven't been villain free since before the curse broke the first time, oh and the year my mom and I spent in New York; and after, when we came back. But, then again, it's hard to call the Snow Queen a villain."

Belle and Rumple shared a look almost identical to the one shared by his mom and dad a few hours ago, as if they couldn't wait to tell him something they've been wanting to say for a while.

Belle spoke first. "Well we have thought it strange, yes. But we've been having such an easy time we didn't want to jinx things by saying how lucky we've all been. We've enjoyed our reprieve too much to desire any other form of entertainment."

Rumple chimed in, holding Belle's hand in his. "One day you'll understand why living a life full of adventure and being the hero is nowhere near as rewarding as settling down and having a peaceful life. I know life may seem old hat, but, trust me Henry, one day when you want to settle down with someone, or even if it's just you, you definitely won't want Chaos knocking at your door demanding a fight."

Henry decided it would be best to tell a hopefully believable lie-based on their reactions to his question. "Alright. I understand. I guess I'm just restless. I'll be going to college soon and I'm afraid I won't be able to write a thing and end up dropping out and disappointing all of you."

Rumple stifled his laugh by downing the rest of his whiskey. "Oh, Henry just because you were given a magic pen that seems broken, doesn't mean you've lost the ability to write. Have you tried writing without it?"

Henry looked at his grandfather as if he'd grown two heads.

Rumple put up his hands, knowing how ridiculous his question sounded. "I know. I'm sure you have. Try going somewhere you'd never go to write. Inspiration, I hear, tends to strike in the oddest of places."

Henry nodded his head as he stifled a yawn.

Rumple kissed Belles hand, using the table to lift himself up. "I'll walk Henry home. I need to stretch my legs." He kissed the top of Belle's head. "I'll be home soon, sweetheart."

She gave him a look Henry couldn't decipher, nor did he want to, coming to the correct conclusion it was a look shared between a couple with true love. If Henry would have understood it for what it truly was-a look of hurried irritation-instead of an assumed look describing to her husband how excited she was now their children were asleep and their company was almost gone, he would have been even more suspicious something was amiss.

An hour later Rumpelstiltskin opened the door to the beautiful picture of his small, but fierce wife greeting him with a sequence of crossed arms and hands on her hips.

"You promised no one would remember. Why is it every time there's something amiss with this town, it's always Henry who has a funny feeling things aren't quite right?"

Rumple sighed, closing the door behind him, locking it, and placing a shield of magic over the large door. He placed a hand on her lower back, steering his angry, shaking wife to the kitchen.

"Would you please explain how you promised to keep us safe from anything that would harm us after you brought Bae from the Underworld, woke me up and promised never to lie to me again and yet after four years something has gone _very, very_ wrong?"

Rumple ran a hand through his nearly shoulder length hair, still not used to having his hair long after using his hair for the 'spell', which for some reason had started to crack at the seams.

"I don't know. We should gave had a lifetime of protection. I didn't count on Henry catching on."

Belle rolled her eyes. "Oh puleeze, it took him four, nearly five years to realize the Author's pen wouldn't work, and start to wonder why he's completely unable to write a word. I mean he did end up figuring out Regina's curse; sure it took him ten years...but..." She let out a long displeased sigh. "Rumple what are we going to do?"

Rumple touched the tip of his nose, deep in thought. "Have Bae and Emma babysit the girls, pretend we're going on a date night, and go back to where I cast the spell?" He suggested, in a hopeful tone, wishing and praying she would accept his plan. "Ohm… we can see if I can fix it or make it stronger?"

Belle took out her phone, looking at it for a long drawn out moment, banging it on their granite table, causing her husband to jump nearly out of his skin. "Halloween's in two weeks Rumple. Are you sure we have that much time?"

"Yes." He said, confidently. "All we have to do is make sure Henry continues to not write a word."

Belle looked away from Rumple's pleading face, to the table of books and crumpled paper. "I wish I hadn't offered to help him with National Novel Writing Month. I honestly forgot all about the stipulations."

Rumple placed a hand on her hip, pulling her closer to him. "Oh, come now sweetheart, the stipulations where more like guidelines. Henry's a curious lad. It makes sense he'd of eventually figured it out."

He held out his hand and smiled, the gold of his teeth sparkled in what little light there was in the dim kitchen. "Come to bed with me?"

Knowing her husband's intentions where good, or at least had been for the past four years, Belle took his hand in hers and exhaled, resigned to the fact they couldn't do anything about the glitch in Rumple's protection spell. "Oh very well. You promised to protect me and our family, and you have. Take me to bed Rumple, we'll deal with this catastrophe in two weeks."

Two weeks came and went in the blink of an eye.

Belle and Rumple persuaded Baelfire and an irritable Emma to watch his sisters the night before Halloween so they could have a nice date night.

They told them they'd be late, after midnight and that they were free to stay over. Bae had agreed to stay later right away, not wanting to know any more details of what or why his papa and his papa's wife needed to stay out so late.

They kissed their daughters' goodbye at six, giving money to Bae and Emma, enough for pizza and a couple rented movies, one for the girls and one for the adults after they went to bed.

Rumple and Belle headed to their favorite Italian bistro which was co-owned by the former Queens of Darkness, the now married (also by Archie) Cruella and Ursula-whose sudden love for each other had outweighed their conquests for revenge.

(Henry didn't remember, but he had written their happy ending a few months before Rumple and Company had landed in the Underworld.)

They were seated in a table in the back for maximum privacy.

Belle twirled a curl in her finger, a nervous habit she'd started shortly after she had her daughters. "Cruella...I mean Ella seems much happier."

"Yes, thank goodness Henry decided to play matchmaker."

Belle gently nudged her husband's shin not at all playfully the moment he said the above sentence loud enough people could hear. "Rumpelstiltskin!"

"Sorry. You're right my dear. They fell in love all by themselves." He buried his sarcastic tone with a smile and an intense look at the menu. "What do you think went wrong?" He asked seriously.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about this in public."

"Yes, we did. You're right. I'm sorry sweetheart. How was your day with the girls at the library? Did they enjoy Dr. Seuss Hour?"

Knowing they had to walk a fine line, she replied, "Yes, Verity loved _Green Eggs and Ham_ and Clara enjoyed _Horton Hears a Who_. What are you going to order Rumple?" She asked, so sweetly he swore he received a metaphorical cavity.

"Spaghetti and meatballs. Shall we order some wine?" He asked nonchalantly as possible, trying his best to act inconspicuous and failing miserably.

Belle took off her flats and rubbed his shin with her stockinged feet affectionately as an apology and to quell her previous uncharacteristic outburst. "Rumple you know I'm not angry. I'm happy about what you did. You gave us a wonderful life and a world where our daughters and family don't have to live in constant fear. It gave you back your son. If you had to do it over again, I would stand by your side every time. I'm just nervous we have to summon..." She whispered and pointed down, "Him."

Rumple said under his breath, "It's not an ideal situation, but I believe it _is_ fixable."

Belle nodded her head, not saying a word about their 'problem' until three hours later on the car.

She looked at the time on the dash and then at her silver watch. "What are we going to do for three hours?"

Rumple smiled. "We don't have the girls tonight. I brought a blanket, strawberries, and some champagne to ohm...settle our nerves before..." He gulped when her hand started caressing his thigh. "Ohm...our meeting."

She batted her eyelashes. "Oh Rumple, if you wanted to make love in the backseat of your car, you could have asked years ago." She leaned over, whispering in his ear. "You also didn't have to bring anything. All I need is you."

Belle gave him a kiss before he could reply which left him breathless and speechless for the next two hours and fifty minutes.


	2. Seal the Deal and let's Boogie

Part Two _:_

 **Seal the Deal and let's Boogie**

 _Storybrooke Graveyard_

 _12 AM October 31, 2020_ ( **Halloween** )

Breathing heavily as they readjusted their clothes, Rumple started the car, pulling into the cemetery right as the clock over his wife's library chimed midnight.

They got out of the car holding each other's hands as they made their way through the cold and the fog to where Baelfire's grave used to be.

Rumple dropped a potion the moment the clock struck on the twelfth ring. His Scottish accented voice broke the eerie silence of the empty graveyard as he sang, "Hello Darkness my old friend, I've come to talk to you again."

A blurry figure appeared through the fog wearing a black cloak, a hoodie, and holding a scythe.

"You rang?" He took a good look at who conjured him, and the smile fell away from his pale blue face. "Oh, it's you. Not the couple I was expecting. Oh well..."

He took his hood off his head, and shocking blue flames lit up the cloudy night.

"Who where you expecting?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, shock marring his otherwise calm face.

The man shot him a warning look which made Rumple automatically hold Belle closer to him.

The death-like figure's shoulders fell as if he'd never been so disappointed in his life. "The Skellington's of course. I was gonna go to a shindig in Halloween Town, but I guess even Death can't have the night off. Guess I _won't_ be drinking formaldehyde with Oogie Boogie."

He gave the shivering Rumpelstiltskin and Belle a long, drawn out judgmental look. "I assume you're here ruining the only night out of the whole year I'm allowed to have off to apologize for stealing the protection potion you stole from me? Such a horrible thing to do, especially after I gave you back your precious son, you know..." He circled the place around where his heart 'would' be, _if_ he had one. "Out of the goodness of my heart."

Rumple scoffed. "You only gave him back because I made sure Emma had no choice but to leave the bloody pirate to rot. I stopped the 'heroes' from saving anyone's souls; and I persuaded Zelena to stay with you in the 'wonderful' world you created for her in exchange for my son being returned to me, his son, and the woman he loved. One would think after everything I did for you, you wouldn't quibble or care one iota about a potion, no matter the fact it was stolen.

"You're right, I don't care a bit you stole from me." His face grew dark, as it grabbed the darkness from around him, using it as a shroud to cover up the momentary misery he couldn't quite hide. "I do care, however, about Zelena. She, unfortunately for my poor un-beating dead heart, left me a week ago."

Rumple tried his best to conjure up some pity, but could only garner enough to say a meager, "My condolences."

Hades huffed, not buying his sincerity. "Nice try. You used to be a much better liar."

His eyes hovered over to Belle's glaring stance. "Didn't he? You would know, after all, he made you a promise he'd never lie again when he named one of your daughters Verity Alicia Gold. That's what you call a double dose of truth."

Hades shrugged his shoulders and sighed melodramatically. "Doesn't matter, least not for you. You see if I was still under her spell of 'true love' I would be happy to leave well enough alone, but..." He smiled showing them a mouth full of elongated sharp teeth. "I'm a bachelor, again. I haven't been this distraught since Persephone broke our deal and our marriage vows when she decided she couldn't spend one more second with me, and took a dip in the Sea of the Damned. I haven't been able to eat pomegranates since. And I loved pomegranates." He explained with a dramatic wave of his scythe.

"And, if my week hadn't been horrible enough, my dear old brother Zeus decided to let your aforementioned hooked pirate out of the Underworld. He's been in Storybrooke for about twelve hours. It's only a matter of time before he'll be wishing he'd stayed in Hell when he finds out the woman he loved with all his pillaging heart fell back in love with her actual 'Twooo Wuv.' But that's not why you're here. You don't give a damn about 'my' problems. You want help and to know why your spell has gone all wonky and why your grandson has started to suspect people really are _not_ of…" He placed his fingers in quotations. "'This' world."

Rumple's mouth had gone dry with all of the information, none of it good; he could only manage a not so confident- "Yes."

"You do realize what this means, don't you? Our original deal is _void_. I demanded the woman I love and the Pirate's soul in order for your son's to be returned to you. I unfortunately no longer have either. And… for some reason Cruella, Robin Hood, and good ole' King Arthur didn't die as they should have either. So… I'll be taking them back with me. That's the price you have to pay if you want the alternate reality back to where you and your wife are the only people who remember how things are supposed to be. I'll give you ten minutes to decide."

Hades took an hourglass out of the inside of his cloak, setting it on top of Baelfire's invisible grave.

Rumple and Belle moved fifty yards away, far enough Hades wouldn't be able to hear their hurried whispered conversation.

"Rumple I know how much you've loved having this reality with Bae…I just…is it truly worth the expense of the lives of others?" Belle caressed his arms, knowing from the pained expression on her husband's face he knew how right she was.

Rumple took five minutes to answer as he mulled all the facts in his overtaxed mind. "Fine. Though I still think the pirate should have stayed in Hell, where he rightfully belongs."

They walked back to where Hades stood, with a smirk lighting up his no longer sad face. "Have you come to a decision?"

"Yes."

"Well? What have you decided?"

"No. If you won't help us just because our deal went sideways, well, I suppose we'll have to find another way to fix our problem."

Belle looked at her husband, shock and disgust, marring her beautiful face (a look she hadn't worn for four years). "Rumplestiltskin! How dare you!"

Hades rubbed his hands together, loving every minute of the scene escalating before his always mischievous, now bordering on murderous eyes.

Hades clapped his hands in glee, as he bounced up and down on his feet, mimicking the way Rumple used to act as the Dark One when he'd completed a deal that went his way and _not_ the way of the person making the deal. All that was missing was a high pitched giggle.

"Well, it's been decided! Good choice by the way." He hid his face with his hand so only Rumplestiltskin could hear what he said, "Hey Rumple, you're Dark One is showing. Don't think the wifey likes too much. However will you get out of this one?"

Rumplestiltskin threw a fireball at Hades face, but, Hades, knowing he'd crossed too many unwritten lines with the man who still held the title of The Dark One for one fifteen-minute graveyard chat, expected some sort of retaliation simply by looking at the deep seated justified raged expression on his former enemy's face.

Belle's angry voice echoed throughout the graveyard, "Why the Hell would you do something like that Rumple? I thought we agreed!" She folded her arms, more displeased with her husband than she had been in years.

Rumple began to pace back and forth as if caged. He began the most logical rant he could, the words falling from his mouth, everything he'd kept quiet for the past four years.

"You were perfectly fine with me creating a separate timeline than the one that should have been created, but when I refuse to do as Hades says you all of a sudden get all high and mighty? Really Belle? Really? Is it not enough I had to watch my son die? I would think once would be enough, but to go through that a second time, no! I refuse! If that means that some people have to die, people I may add…before you say it's wrong…people who would have died anyway if things had gone the way they were supposed to; who is to say they aren't actually supposed to die? Henry brought those who died back, Cruella, Robin, Arthur, all expect Hook, who he refused to bring back because he knew he'd ruin everything for his parents. We've had four good years Belle. Regina and Cruella finally received their happy endings. Arthur became less of a jerk; well after Gwen left him for Lancelot. Bae and Emma are happily married with a baby on the way. Belle, why would I want to deny my son his deserved happiness?

"Yes, and then Henry suddenly lost the ability to use the pen along with his memories of everything that had happened, along with everyone else in the town, except for us. Yes, I agree, we've had four wonderful years. Years we wouldn't have gotten if you hadn't have stolen a potion from the God of the Underworld. I know how much you've cherished having these four extra years with your son. But how can you stand there and justify choosing his happiness over the lives of other people who are just as deserving of happiness, no matter their sordid pasts?"

Rumple's voice had an edge to it, one in which Belle hadn't heard since their days in the Dark Castle. "Because he's my son. That's why. I would do anything in my power to make my son happy. To make sure he lives. That's the promise I made him when I failed him after I became the Dark One, and the one I made again when he died in my arms."

Rumple's anger dissipated as he realized bit by bit what he had done. He stared at the frozen ground so his wife wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. "I just wanted my son to live. I had the chance to bring him back, and I took it. I would make the same decision Every. Single. Time."

Belle gathered her husband in her arms, wrapping her arms around his back as he laid his head on her shoulder, holding him tight against her as he silently wept.

She ran her hands through his hair and down his back. "I know Rumple." She kissed his tear ridden cheeks. "We'll fix this…I promi…"

Belle gasped as she saw red mist appear through the graveyard. "Rumple! Look!"

The last thing they recalled before they fell on the cold, wet grass was a man's high pitched laughter.


	3. Sinking the Ship, One Canon at a Time

Part Three:

 **Sinking the Ship, One Canon at a Time**

 _Storybrooke Graveyard_

 _October 19, 2016 6:35 AM_

Belle and Rumplestiltskin woke to a red sunset and terribly confused jumbled minds.

"Why the hell are we in the Graveyard?" Rumple asked as he rubbed his sandy eyes.

Belle looked at the man who said he loved her with all his no longer black heart and then had had the audacity to trap her on a ship where she couldn't escape, as if he'd completely forgotten she'd spent twenty-eight years locked in a padded room forgotten by everyone who'd ever loved her. Not long after the ship debacle, she'd begun to have panic attacks, which had gotten so bad, Granny had noticed and had put her foot down and flat out insisted she stay at her house, a place Belle had never been trapped or nearly killed.

Belle glared at her husband. "That's a great question, another good one is: why are you sleeping next to me on the ground? If this one of your many tricks to get me to love you again, it's not going to work! I told you, nothing you'll ever do will ever make me love you again. You chose your darkness over our love and our son. Take me back home. _Now_."

Rumple helped his pregnant wife off the cold ground and dusted off the dirt off his jacket and pants. When he went to help brush the dirt off her green coat and leggings, she flinched away from him.

He let out a fed up sigh and scrunched his shoulders. "Belle, it's been three months since I tried to protect you on Hook's ship and it backfired. You're an intelligent woman Belle, why haven't you realized I will always do anything and everything in my power to protect you and our son? My intentions are and were good."

Belle shook her head as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "And yet you adamantly refuse to _be good_ , Rumple. You hold on to your power because you think there's no possible way you could protect our family if you gave it all up. You may not love your power more than me, but you've used it as a crutch for so long, you don't want to live your life without it."

"I can't deny what you're saying. It's all true, and yet you know very well I also don't want to live my life without you and our son. I've tried to be honorable and respectful. I've left you alone. I didn't say a word about you sharing a ship with the pirate who stole my first wife, attempted to kill my second wife-you-several times, all because I feel I have to walk a fine line over metaphorical splintered glass so both of us don't end up hurt. I want you to love me, yes, because we've been through too much to go on as we have."

"Those are sweet words Rumple, and I would fall for them, for you, again, if not for the warning our own son gave us. His kiss of true love woke me, not yours. I need more time away from you to think about our marriage and our son. Please poof me back to Granny's house."

Rumple inched closer to her, slow enough she wouldn't move away, and smiled when she allowed him to caress her cheek. "Fine. I'll give you more time, but please know I love you Belle. I would do anything to see you and our son safe."

He moved his hand up to poof her away, but Belle grabbed it and held it in hers. "Wait! Ohm…I just wanted to say thank you for sending me the tapes of you reading all the Dr. Seuss books. I thought it was really, truly sweet."

Rumple nodded his head, digging his cane into the ground to stop himself from taking her in his arms and poofing them far, far away from Storybrooke. Knowing from past experiences how poorly she'd take that course of action, he gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Your welcome. I'll continue sending them, if you…ohm…like."

Belle nodded her head, not daring herself to look into her husband's eyes, thinking rightfully if she did she'd want nothing more than to forget all of their problems and fall into his arms and never let go.

He poofed his wife back to her room at Granny's. Which wasn't her room above the library where she'd lived when they were separated before, or the guest room in their house where he could keep an eye on her the best.

Rumple hung his head and poofed himself back to his shop.

That night they both dreamed of a life of peace; one that was, after a time, broken and ripped away from them.

The whole town of Storybrooke and everyone they loved kept dying in odd circumstances, until there was no one left except the two of them and their son.

The same young man who woke Belle up with true love's kiss and claimed to be their son came to them with a warning tied to what they had seen.

"I have just showed you what life will be like if you stay together. Nothing good will come of you staying together. You can both see that clearly now, can't you? So I beg of you, for the future, please leave well enough alone and know love doesn't fix everything, in fact, as you saw, it is the ruination of all life and all you hold dear. Stay together and be happy for a while, or be miserable for a while, and, in time you can learn to be friends enough to share a son between the two of you and save all the lives of this town and the people you love."

After seeing the town in ruins and everyone they loved dead, the next day they took their 'son's' warning to heart and agreed to share their son and live apart, but they chose to still be married.

Six months later, a day after giving birth to their son, Bastian Sawyer Gold, named after Belle's favorite book-loving protagonist from _The Never-Ending Story_ and Sawyer for Henry's favorite book _Tom Sawyer_ , the mansion that housed the nuns burnt down with them in it, killing everyone.

Belle looked from her son and back to her husband with tears in her eyes.

"Do you think we did this by not truly separating?"

Rumple's pained face said it all, he did indeed think that was the reason.

"I suppose we should have completely taken little Bastian's warning to heart. I honestly didn't want to believe what he said."

Rumple swallowed the painful lump in his throat. "I'll draw out the papers and we'll have them signed." He brushed the fluff of brown hair on his son's head, a few tears falling.

"I love you and Bastian so much, but I don't want anyone else to die because we're together."

And so Rumplestiltskin and Belle were divorced and shared their son together for the next four years.


	4. Chipped Hearts and Crushed Dreams

Part Four _:_

 **Chipped Hearts, Crushed Dreams, and** **Cracked Bottles**

 _October 31, 2020 Storybrooke, Maine (_ **Halloween** _)_

 _Belle's apartment and Rumple's house 1:15 AM_

Belle had just put Bastian down for second time that night, and had gone downstairs to grab her laptop, when, out of the corner of her eyes she saw a blurry, fading version of herself playing with two identical little girls who looked to be about the same age as her son.

She could hear their giggles as they ran around the library as the flickering Belle tried to persuade them to go upstairs for bed.

"If you go up now without me asking again, I'll read you your favorite story."

The girls said at the same time, "We want papa!"

"Your papa is in Boston. You both know this."

The see-through Belle placed her hands her hips. "You two already talked to him on my computer and said goodnight."

The girls mimicked their mother's stance. "We want to go home."

"Home is being repainted."

"But why? We like our pink house!"

"Well, you'll like it just as much when it's blue with yellow shutters."

She pointed to the stairs. "Verity Alicia and Clara Renay Gold, go up the stairs now! Or else I will call your papa again, and he will not be pleased."

When that tactic didn't have the desired effect, Belle smiled, knowing exactly what _would_ make them move. "You know that present your papa told you he'd be bringing you?

They nodded, as they looked at their mother in frozen suspense.

"Well, if I call him, he won't."

The girls ran up the stairs, right through the real Belle.

As soon as they vanished to the loft upstairs, Belle caught a glimpse of her other self-flickering out like a broken light.

Belle rubbed her eyes, and blinked several times, trying to get the image of herself and the two little girls who were obviously her daughters, daughters she possibly could have had with Rumple. Thinking she was hallucinating, she grabbed her laptop, and ran up the stairs.

She wanted nothing more than to skype Rumple and tell him all about what she'd seen, but knew they shouldn't have more contact than exchanging their son back and forth week after week.

Belle crawled into her empty, cold bed and cried herself to sleep, thinking of all the things that could have been and couldn't, simply because they believed a warning their son in the next room had given them before he was born.

Six hours later, Rumplestiltskin shot up from his cot in his shop covered in a cold sweat as he struggled to gasp for air.

Rumple grabbed the bottle of warm scotch on the floor, and downed a third of it, not caring he was down to the bottom of the barrel of his usually decent, extremely expensive stock of potent alcohol.

Slamming the empty glass down on the chipped concrete (caused by too many dropped potions) he stared at the picture of Belle and Bastian a foot away from where he slept, thinking no other thoughts in his mind except the too real fact: 'Not all haunted places are houses.'

He stumbled out of the uncomfortable cot, and poofed himself back to his empty house to shower, deciding if he wanted to get any work done today, he may as well shave, shower, and put on a decent suit. After the epic bender he had gone on over the past few days, he was extremely hungover, and probably still drunk from the night before.

This had been his ritual ever since he and Belle divorced: he had Bastian two weeks out of the month and the following two weeks he smothered himself in misery.

Yes, he couldn't be with his wife and son living a happy life; so, to add insult to injury and to pour salt in his gaping wound where his heart used to be, he hadn't had a decent night rest in four years. He was constantly being plagued by nightmares which not only felt real, but had the awful tendency of coming true.

Rumple didn't understand, the death and destruction their son had warned them about seemed to be coming true, even though he and Belle were separated by an entire town.

Since Bastian's birth nearly all the people who came from the Land of Untold Stories had met untimely, oftentimes grotesque ends. Most of the dwarves had been buried in the mines two years ago, and the people who had lived in Storybrooke through everything else, finally got the hell out of dodge; before they too, met untimely ends.

Turning the shower to the coldest setting, he swore to himself for the hundredth time 'This is the day I stop drinking.'

His laughter rang out, startling him out of his pity party, as if the sound came from someone else.

Rumple turned the shower onto warm, knowing if he went outside freezing cold already, he'd most likely be an icicle as soon as the bitter October Maine air hit his face.

Stepping out of the shower five minutes later, he wiped the mirror only to see a tall man dressed in a black cloak sporting dark eyes and an evil smile.

He turned around, only to see nothing.

Letting out a frightened breath, he shook his head, knowing he most likely was suffering from his usual alcohol related hallucination.

He dried off, took some vitamins and antacids, dressed and made his way to his shop only to be greeted by a shaking, teeth chattering Henry.

"Hello Henry. What brings you to my door so early?"

Henry gave him a disappointed, adamantly disgusted look. "Really Gramps! You can't buy mouthwash? What'd you do, drink a whole liquor store? I know you're the Dark One, but still…"

Rumple unlocked his shop, allowing Henry to go first. Not wanting anyone to interrupt them, he locked the door with a powerful shield; even Regina wouldn't be able to open the door.

"I assume you came here to do more than berate me?"

"Yeah. I came to tell you I can help you get Belle, Bastian and my dad back. My mom hasn't been the same since she married Hook and had Liam. It's like the life's been drained right out of her. It's not right, and I want to make her happy again, and I know for sure she would have been truly happy with my dad."

"Is that so? And how would you do that? Do you have a way to reverse time? You may have a bit of magic from your mother, but even the most magical, powerful beings in the land haven't been able to produce the spell to rewind time. Well, except for Zelena, but she's in Oz wreaking all kinds of havoc." Rumple spat out, the memory of his son dying and everything that came after still twisted his no longer black heart.

"I have the pen from the Author. I haven't used it, because when he first gave it to me I was afraid of what I could do to the people I love. Now, though, the way the whole town has gone to hell since we came back from the Underworld, well I'm positive what I'd write would be much less detrimental than half the town being dead or gone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure it'll work. 'Sides I've been seeing things I know aren't there all month."

Henry leaned closer to his grandfather, "I haven't told anyone this, but I've been seeing a red tinged sky ever since we came back from the Underworld. I don't know what it means, but I do know I'm the only one who can see it, and it worries me."

Rumple's eyebrows shot up, and his eyes grew wide. "I've been seeing things that possibly be real too. I wonder if Belle has as well…"

He considered everything Henry told him, and, after mulling it over for a whole two minutes, he nodded his head. "Yes. I want a chance to have a life with my wife and my sons. You deserve to have your father back. And your mother does deserve to be happy. I have every confidence you will be able to write a reality better than the one we've had to endure the last four years."

Henry smiled, his grin reaching his eyes for the first time in years. "Good, I'm glad you agree." Henry took out a book of empty pages, the Author's pen, and an hourglass.

Rumple stared at the hourglass, as a memory he couldn't quite reach told him something was off with the scene in front of him.

"Henry, where did you find that hourglass? I don't sell them anymore."

"Oh, the last time I went to visit my dad's grave, it was just sitting there, with all the sand at the bottom of the glass. I thought it was cool, so I took it, thinking it may come in handy one day."

Rumple nodded, and waved his hand, letting Henry know it was fine to start writing.

Henry wrote for what seemed like hours, when in fact, only an hour went by.

"I'm done. Would you like to read it before I sign it?"

Rumple swallowed the lump in his throat, nodding his head.

Henry handed him the book, watching his grandfather's face light up with a happiness he hadn't seen since little Bastian was born.

"This is wonderful Henry. Thank you so much." Rumple walked around the counter, and hugged his grandson for five whole minutes.

"Grandpa, I have to sign it."

"Oh, right. Go ahead."

Henry signed his name at the bottom of the last page.

The moment he curled the last letter (S), everything went dark.


	5. Giving Time the Finger

Part Five:

 **Giving Time the Finger**

 _Storybrooke, Maine_

 _October 31, 2020 6 PM (_ **Halloween** _)_

Rumple and Belle woke up, not to a red tinged sky, but to a blue sky full of clouds.

"Mama! Papa! It's Halloween! Wake up!

Belle and Rumple lay together on their couch in their blue and yellow shuttered house, until they were startled awake by a girl and a boy who appeared to be the same age.

"Mama, Verity said if I eat too much candy I'll get diabetes. Is that true?"

A little girl wearing a yellow dress and black leggings with yellow pig tails in her brown hair folded her arms and glared at the boy. "I did not Bastian. You shouldn't go around telling lies." She looked toward her parents. "Right papa?"

Belle and Rumple blinked several times as memories flew into their minds, replacing the memory of their divorce, a town gone to hell, and no one getting their happy endings.

"Ohm…well…your sister isn't wrong. That's why we don't let you eat more than a few pieces of candy after we get home from trick or treating; and only give you a piece a day after dinner after Halloween."

She stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Told you."

"See Verity, I'm not a liar." The little boy with brown eyes and dark auburn hair hopped up onto the couch and scooched himself between his parents.

He looked up at Rumple with a smile. "Papa, are Henry, Bae and Emma going trick or treating with us too?"

Hearing his eldest son's name clicked in the rest of the new memories. For a moment memories warred, fighting for dominance. There were some that had them together with twin girls, his son was alive, and one where they had a son, but Bae hadn't survived Zelena.

The new memories informed him Bae had survived, married Emma, and they were expecting a girl in a few months. The pesky pain in the ass pirate had gone back to Neverland, Zelena had gone back to Oz, Regina had married Robin, no one had died in years, and he and Belle had the twins in front of them and a little girl six months ago (Clara) who was sleeping upstairs in her crib. He answered his son with a twinkle in his eye. "Yes, of course they are."

Rumple held his son against him, grabbing Belle's hand in his as they shared a look of understanding, and one of relief.


	6. Disturbing Death, and other Mistakes

Part Six:

 **Disturbing Death, and other Mistakes**

 _8 PM, Storybrooke Graveyard:_ _(_ **Halloween** _)_

Henry woke up in the graveyard, laying on the frozen grass.

Memories flew into his mind of three different realities like a movie that had been fast forwarded.

He moved to get up, only to have his hand hit an open book.

Curious, he read the stories identical to what he'd just seen.

Taking a copious amount of time to put the pieces together, he realized in awe how two of the realities were false, and in no way, could have been true.

He realized they were indeed stories written with his grandpa's wife Belle for National Novel Writing Month.

He got up, brushing away the dirt from his red plaid shirt and jeans.

Henry began to walk away, only to be frozen in place when heard familiar voices.

Henry turned around to see three blurry, flickering in and out figures standing by his dad's former grave. Belle and his grandpa Rumple stood chatting away with a cartoonish flame haired looking man who hovered above the ground.

He caught bits and pieces of their conversation: "Yes, but who would pass up the opportunity to pretend to be your son? If I couldn't be happy with Zelena, why would I want anyone else to be happy? How'd I kiss you with true love? You're not the only one capable of stealing things Dark One. Who's to say I didn't allow you to take the Protection Potion?"

He gasped when he realized he looked exactly like Hades from Disney's _Hercules_ he had recently watched with Verity and Bastian.

The sound caught the attention of the character Hades, who instantly turned into a flesh and blood man wearing clothes a Grim Reaper would wear.

He looked directly at Henry with the evilest smile, showing all his pointy teeth as he pointed his scythe at him, as if to say 'You're next.'

Henry ran, only to be hit with a potion which instantly wiped his memory clear of what he'd witnessed.


	7. (Canon? What's Canon?)

Part seven:

 **(Canon? What's Canon?)**

Henry's room, _(_ **Halloween** _)_ morning, 2020

Henry woke up from the oddest dream, and then smiled when he realized what day it was.

"Yes! I get free candy!" Of course, he'd only be getting free candy because he was going trick or treating with dad's brother and sister Verity and Bastian, while their parents (his grandparents) stayed home with their six-month-old daughter Clara.

The day flew by in a flash and before he knew it he had had an awesome day and then great night with the twins.

After they had been put to bed, he sat at the parlor table with his grandpa's wife to brainstorm ideas for National Novel Writing Month.

As they talked of ideas, he soon found his writer's block had disappeared.

Soon, time got away, so much so Henry didn't realize how late it had gotten, until he heard the clock over Belle's library chime midnight.

On the twelfth ring, he looked up from his story of alternate timelines to see a flickering pale figure with jagged pointy teeth, holding a scythe.

Henry rubbed his eyes, thinking it was nothing more than his overactive imagination.

He said good-night a half hour later-to a yawning Belle.

Belle hadn't stopped shaking since he'd seen the flickering man, though Henry thought she couldn't possibly be cold seeing as they had a roaring fire ten feet away from them.

Henry shrugged his shoulders, and left, never once suspecting she saw the same thing or that she had broken the pen the Author had given him, causing him to never write a word, _ever_ again.

The quiet town of Storybrooke stayed quiet, for hundreds of years; for after the destruction of the Author's pen, no Monsters, Bad Guys, or Villains ever bothered them again.

The Dark One, his wife, two sons, and two daughters, and extended family lived happily ever after…at least in 'this' reality.


End file.
